Ditch the store-bought microwave popcorn and make Homemade Microwave Popcorn with just a few simple steps, for a healthier whole-grain snack.
Popcorn is one of our all-time favorite snacks at our house.
While I prefer, Stovetop Popcorn, I also love homemade microwave popcorn.
How to Make Homemade Popcorn in a Microwave
Yes, you can have homemade microwave popcorn without buying prepackaged bags.
The method for making homemade microwave popcorn is INCREDIBLY easy.
Making Microwave Popcorn using a Bowl
- Pour in ½ cup kernels into the bowl and cover the bowl with a plate.
- Place in microwave and heat 2-5 minutes (timing depends on your wattage of microwave).
- The popcorn will be done when popping slows to more than a second between pops.
- Of course, you can use a special bowl designed for popcorn in the microwave, but I just use a glass bowl.
Making Microwave Popcorn with a Paper Bag
I used to use a brown paper lunch bag in the microwave, however, there are now warnings against this method, and I have heard of them catching on fire in the microwave--so if you used this method before--It is time to make a change to using a BOWL to pop popcorn in the microwave.
How to Season Homemade Microwave Popcorn
Seasoning homemade popcorn is up to you and the options are limitless.
- Mist with oil and season with fine salt.
- Coat with melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
- Sprinkle with cheese and seasonings.
- Use Parmesan cheese with Italian seasoning.
- Drizzle with caramel and chocolate chips.
More Easy Homemade Snacks
- Stovetop Popcorn
- Homemade Cheese Crackers
- Easy Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Sushi
- Gluten-Free No-Bake Granola Bars
Homemade Microwave Popcorn
Ingredients
- ¼-1/2 popcorn kernels
Instructions
- Pour in ½ cup kernels into the bowl and cover the bowl with a plate.
- Place in microwave and heat 2-5 minutes (timing depends on your wattage of microwave).
- The popcorn will be done when popping slows to more than a second between pops.
- Spray the popcorn with a cooking spray or toss with melted butter. Toss with salt.
Notes
- Be sure to use a bowl and plate that are heat safe.
- The glass bowl method makes two servings of homemade popcorn.
- Of course, you can use a special bowl designed for popcorn in the microwave, but I just use a glass bowl.
Nutrition
Vira
This worked very well for me! My only minor complaint is that around 1/3 of the kernels didn't pop. But the kernels that popped were delicious, and they were completely popped.
Carole LLOYD
My air popper of 40 years gave out today and I needed an easy way to make my popcorn. I used my grandmother's round pyrex bowl (most likely from the 1950s) 1/4 cup of corn and a microwave-safe dinner plate. Started with 2 min and then checked. Took out the popped kernels and then put the bowl of unpopped kernels back in. I did this 2 more times. I was afraid the already popped corn would burn. Now that I know the capacity of the bowl I will try to do it all at once. Thank you so much.
Alice
Thank you so much for the link to the FDA warning against using brown paper bags from the grocery store to cook! Thank you, as well, for this easy adjustment to that popcorn cooking method.
Joe
It cracked my bowl ,which was Pyrex 4 qt bowl..
I set it for 4mins.. and it Brock at the 3 min. mark anyone else have this problem....
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Joe! So sorry you had this issue. Pyrex has recently changed their bowls and some are not able to withstand high heat.
Nat Howley
Same! My bowl was glass but not Pyrex. It cracked around the 4 minute mark, when most of the kernels were not popped. Anyone tried with Corning Ware casserole?
Linda Schultz
Popcorn was good but my bowl broke also.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Linda! I am sorry that happened. Can you tell me the type/brand of bowl it was so I can make a note for others.
Abi
Good
Sky
This method worked wonderfully! I will be using this again. Thank you!
Fe
Fantastic way of making popcorn. I’m so glad I found your webpage. Thank you.
I don’t have a fancy microwave bowl for popcorn and usually we buy our popcorn in bags. However, went on vacation and came home and with these Amish bags of popcorn. Didn’t have a way to cook even on the stovetop because it’s glass. Been looking for a convenient way and yours was a home run! Hit it out of the park!!!
Thank you so much 😊
Barbara
I use this method all the time. I think it's important to double check that you are using a microwave-safe bowl and plate. Also, don't put any oil in the bowl before heating. This is the healthiest way to make popcorn, and you don't need an air popper.
Elle
I did this with the “heat proof” bowl which shattered in the microwave.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so sorry that happened Elle. I have never had this issue myself.
Sandra Turk
I really love popcorn and had been buying it popped and packaged at the drug store. It was either too salty or not any salt. Plus the price wasn't budget friendly. I'd heard about microwave popcorn but never tried it. I bought some small brown paper bag s and tried it. Used a half cup of corn. About halfway through I could hear it popping loud so I opened the door and it was all over the microwave. The glue in the seam of the bag had melted.. plus I had too much corn in the bag. I wasn't comfortable with the glue so I scrapped that idea. Then I used half of the amount of corn in a fast food bag. It wasn't as bad as the first one but I'd put it in for 3 minutes so had a mass of black corn in the middle. So I decided to check my tablet to see what to do. And found your website. Thanks for your advice.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sandra! I am so glad you found my site as well. Paper lunch bags were often thought to be safe to use them in the microwave, but as you can see that is not the case.
Robin
I used a brown paper lunch bag instead of a glass bowl. Folded the top over twice and it worked like a charm! (microwaved for 2 1/2 min.) I don't have a glass bowl and really wanted popcorn!
Rebecca
Hi. I found your recipe while searching for a way to microwave popcorn without a paper bag. I used a ceramic bowl with a plate on top. I also stretched a small towel over the top of the bowl, underneath the plate, to absorb some of the steam. I used a package of Bob's Red Mill popcorn kernels that I bough just about a month and a half ago and has made other popcorn on the stove without any problems. I started with just 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels. I poured in a little olive oil and rolled the kernels around. After nearly 10 minutes, I had only heard 1 or 2 kernels pop at a time, I never got that big explosion of popping you usually hear. I took it out to look at it because some of those kernels had popped 5 minutes ago and I was afraid they were going to burn. Only about half of the kernels had popped. Those that did pop were fluffy and delicious. I took out the popcorn that had popped and put the second half of the kernels back in the microwave. I let it go for a few more minutes. Again, there was no big explosion of popping, just 1 or 2 at a time. When I took it out of the microwave again, the popcorn that had popped was quite well done - still edible and not quite burnt, but less fluffy and a bit overcooked compared to how the first half had come out. There were still some unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bowl. I don't know what I did wrong because aside from putting the towel over the plate to absorb the steam, and using fewer kernels, I followed the recipe. Thanks.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Rebecca! I am sorry you had issues. Adding a towel would interfere with how the heat conducts, so that may have been part of the issue. The other two issues would be rolling the kernesl in oil first and taking out the popcorn and putting back in the microwave, which always slows down the cooking process. Homemade microwave popcorn is much slower than bagged popcorn when popping, so patience is needed. And the oil can interfere with the popping as well--it is best to season after popping.
Craig Matheson
I'm wondering if "Tupperware" bowls with a loose fitting lid? Also, freezing the popcorn first increases the yield of popped kernels.
Kristen Chidsey
I don't recommend microwaving plastic myself. But thank you for the tip about the popped kernels.
Sarah
Hi,
I tried to make the popcorn in a glass bowl with a plate on top but after 6mins only three or four popped.
Could you tell me why that is?
Also tried putting oil and I got a few more but nothing really...
Any suggestions, please?
My microwave is at 100% voltage.
Kristen Chidsey
I find if my popcorn kernels are older this can happen, that may have been the issue.